Paris snubbed competing offers from Thales and ArianeGroup, as well as from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin and South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace.

Paris snubbed competing offers from Thales and ArianeGroup, as well as from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin and South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace.

The move effectively knocks out other competitors to replace France's current LRU arsenal, including a recent surprise bid by Lockheed Martin.